Hay-feeding apparatus.



W. T. & J. 0. WISE. HAY FEEDING APBARATUS. APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1908.

Patented-Dec. 15, 1908.

2 sums-sum 1.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \IIIIIIII- W. T. 6: I. G. WISE.

HAY FEEDING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1908.

Patented Dec. 15, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WILLIAMT. WISE AND EAMES O. WISE, O F CANFIELJG, COLUlT-ZADO.

HAY-FEEDING APEARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 15, 1.908.

Application filed May 11, 1902. Serial No. 432,213.

To all whom it may concern:

Be. it known that we, WILLIAM T. Wren and JAMES O. WISE, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Canficld, county of Boulder, and State of Colorado,

have invented a new and usei' :l l-lay-Feeddevice for feeding alfalfa or other material l to chopping machines. Fig. 2, is a plan view at the same. Iig. 3,193 a central vertical. longitudinal sectional view through the machine. Fig. 4, 1s a transverse, vertical sectional View on the line l--l of F i.

Fig. 5, is a perspective view of the saddle in which the lower roller of the incline-:l feed hclt is journaled. (i, is a front elevation of a pulley or belt wheel supplied with a form of governor used in connection with our device. Fig. "I, is a vrrtical, sec tional view through the hell wheel and gov-- ernor. And Fig. 8, is an enlarged, sectional view through a fragment of the feed boll, showing the arrangement of the feed pins.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several vie Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1, designates a hay chopping and. pulverizing machine of any suitable type, which does not in itself form ranof our in vent oii. i itu'irilhii oi a name 2, provided with a circular hollow chamber or cage 3, in the axial center of which a shaft i, is rotatably mounted on suitable hearings 5; upon the shaft a plurality'of hammer hay cutting breaking and pulverizing knives or cutters, which may be of any suitable form of construction and arrangement, are revolubly mounted: between the rotary path of tho cutters and the peripheral wall of the frame. a screen (I. is positioned, and the hay is pulverized until it passes through the 1110 li0r of this screen and into the space hack of it, from which it is forced through a delivery pipe, which conveys it to a suitaiil'e' storage bin, from which the pulverized feed is such rd and sold for feed for stock, it forms a valuable feed for cattle, hogs, sheep, and horses.

(huinvcntion contemplati-is a hay feeding machine in connection with which the chopper and pnlverizcr is simply a cooperet ing element in the process of making alfalfa. meal. To this end our invention comprises and contemplates an alfalfa chopping and pulvcrizing machine of any suitable type and of any suitable construction, and an alfalfa feeding machine that will receive alfalfa from a farm wagon and convey it to and feed it regularly into the chopping and pulvorizing arms or hammer knives of the chopping and pulverizing machine. To tl'iis end our feeder comprises a wooden trough shaped frame, which is long ei'iough to entcnd from the chopper to a part. oi the mill where alfalfa can be unloaded from a farm wagon or -from a bin directly into its receiving end, and this trough shaped frame comprises side standards 8, 8 and 8 cross latices l), 9*. and 9, and longitudinal tie oi-mus 10, 10 and 10. A floor ll is laid flush the tops of the longitudinal tie beams an, and across them from one side of the frame to its opposite side, and at the'oppo site ends of'the frame rollers 12 andlfil are mounted on shafts 1 i and 35, Will-i" jourualetl in horas 16 and 1?. The pui placed inside of the receiving end 01 feeder, and its shaft boxes are supported slide-ways which are secured between the longitudinal ties 10 and 10*; the boxes that support the shaft of the pulley 12 are of a type that isprovided' With-adjustable connections 18, which permits the pulley to be moved longitudinally of the length of the feeder a few inches. The pulley 13 is preferahly placed a few inches beyond the dis charging end oi? the feeder, and its shaft 15 is journaled in the bracket boxes 17, which are secured. to the discharging end stand ards' 8 or" the feeder. Upon these pulleys a. canvas or other suitable fabric belt 21 is mounted, the bottom of the top half of which runs along close to and bears under a load on the floor 11 of the feeder. From the alfalfa receiving end of the feeder to within a few feet of the discharging endbt the tccdcr, '0 preferably use but two longitudinal side tics, which are framed to the standards, and this pi'nrtion ot the fee are is lower than the discharging end portion 01. lb, which is built up higher from the standard 8? to the end standards 8, three longitudinal ties, which are spaced at preferably equal distances apart, being employed at this discharging end portion of the feeder.

22 designates an inclined belt, which is preferably made of canvas or other suitable fabric. This belt we term the feeder belt, and its front end is journaled above the upper tie 1O close to the standard 8*, while the opposite end of this feeder belt extends downwardly between the side ties and standards towards vand projects beyond the discharging end of the feeder and beyond the end of the floor belt a short distance. The upper end is mounted on a pulley 22*, which. is secured on a shaft 23, that is journaled in slidable adjustable boxes 24, which are secured to blocks on the top of the ties 10 and the lower end of the belt is supported on a pulley 22 From the ends of the boxes 24, diverging side boards 25 extend down to the top edges of a pair of side boards that extend upward from the side ties 10 along them from the alfalfa receiving end of the feeder to the side standard 8". The

I lower end ofthis inclined feeder beltis antomatic'ally adjustable in a substantially vertical plane on a saddle 26, which is 'mounted to slide reciprocally on slide-ways attached to the discharge end of the feeder. This feature of our invention can be carr ed out in any manner, it being only necessary to support the lower end of this inclined feedingbelt so that it can be set at any desired distance fromthe floor conveyer .belt to insure a regular feedingof the alfalfa be- -tween the two and have an automatic vertically disposed reciprocal movement upward from and back to the point it is set at, and whilethis swinging end of the belt qould be supported-in several different ways, we preferably carry out this feature of our invention in the following manner: To the front sides of the standards 8, are secured two sets of'brackets 26 and 27, the brackets 27 being above and considerably longer than' the brackets 26 The outer ends of these brackets are provided with circular lug portions 28, through which apertures are formed in which rods 29 are extended from one'zset of brackets to the other. These rods areharranged parallelto each other, andare refer-ably square rods, but any fiat sided orm of rod may be used. The top set of brackets project out further from the standards, at an angle thereto, the angle being substantially at right angles to the inclination of the inclined belt to the floor conveyer belt. These rod's are secured to the lug portions of thebrackets preferably by setscrews 30. The saddle 26 that supports the shaft 31" 0f the pulley of the lower end of the in clined feeding in belt, comprises a squareeeacvo yoke-shaped frame, the four corners of.

which are provided with projecting lug portions 32, which are provided with open guide-way slots 30*, that fit loosely and slidably over the fiat sided slide rods 29, and adjacent to the two lower lugs of the yoke on its opposite corners the yoke is provided with journal boxes 33, in which the shaft of the pulley 22 of the belt'is jour naled.,

To the opposite lower corner portions of the saddle are secured the ends of contraction springs 34, the opposite ends of-these springs being secured to the sides of the standards 8, by bolts 35 or other suitable means. The saddle rests loosely on the flat sided rods 29 on top of the lower brackets 26 which latter-are slidably adjustable on their bolts by means of slots formed in the brackets aroundv the bolts that allow the brackets to be. moved vertically on the stand ards. In-this manner the brackets are set to bring the discharge end of the feeding belt at .the desired distance from the floor conveyer belt to permit the alfalfa to be fed. evenly and regularly-between and through the two belts into the chopper machine. lVe have found in practice, however, that in order to feed alfalfa evenly and regularly from the feeder into direct contact with the chopper arms of the chopper, we require an additlonal feed roller 35 intermediate of the two feeding belts and the chopper arms, in order to carry or convey and deliver the alfalfa to the rapidly rotating chopper arms. This feature of our invention is one of great importance, as we have found in practice that the alfalfa must be fed at a certain angle to the plane of rotation of the chopper bined capacity of a guide for the alfalfa from the feed belts to the proper point of contact with the chopper arms, and also act as a break block over which the alfalfa breaks when struck by the chopper. 1t accomplishes this latter feature in the follow ng manner: It is positioned-just far enough 1n advance of the discharge end rolls of the feed belts and just far' enough inthe rear of the chopper arms, so that when the al-- falfa feeds overthe roll its forward ends are in the striking path of the chopper arms and its rear ends are held pinched between the discharging ends of the feed belts; and so matted together that it is held at its rear end portion while its central portion lies across the combined guide and breaking roller, and the blows of the chop per arms against itslfo'rward ends into'thelr rotative plane break it up into fine pieces 3 convey Wardly a togethe ever the roller, which as an aoutment'. We have found in p that his roll sl'iould be set a. little below the top surface of the conveyer belt, and at a distance from the discharging space between these two bolts that will bring its top peripheral surface in alinen'ient with a line -i%i drawn through the center 01 the angular tapering tgace between the citinveyer and inclined belts".

it the coi'nbined guide and breaking roller was positioned too far below the top of the cnveyer belt, the alfal't'a would be drawn into tlle cage without its being only partially broken up, and in short time would clog the choppers, rendering it necessary to frequently stop the chopper and clean it out, 2 l at the same time greatly reducing the "ity of the mill an-l increasing the cost odacing the meal, while it this eom feed and l) ting roll is placed above or 01" the enopper arms and above or in stri. htalineincnt with the top of the be t, it will :t'ecd the alfalfa upas the choppers strike it. they will dri-i'e it back upon itself and thus slow down and clog the feed. This combined guide and breaking roller may be journaled in boxes that are secured to the frame of the feeder, or in boxes that form a part of or are attached to the chopper and PLIlYQIlZOl', but it is essential that it be positioned in a. particular position relative to both the chopper arms and to the dischargingends of the belts of the feeders, we preferably illustrate it journaledto both, though it may be ionrnaled directly to the feeder rather than to the chopper and pulverizer, which is formed to allow the roll to project into it, to lie adjacent to the choppers, when the two machines are set in operative relation to each other. We provide this roller with a shaft 36, which is join-railed in boxes 37,

that are preferably arranged to be bolted to either one or to both the feeder or the chopper and pulveri ur frau'ic. Our invent-ilf'in. contemplates t combined guide and break roller positicned in a substantially horizontal plane between the discharging plane of the floor belt and the ln'u-izontal center of the relative plane of the chopper an." and rotatively joiu'iniled to either the chopper and pulverizz r, or to the feeder, or to bot-h, as illustrated, which arrangement holds and maintains the l'eed rolls, and this guide and breaking roll, and the chopper arms in operative alinement, as these two machines are run at 'ui'li high speeds that we have found it necessary to secure them it. them from moving; out

aistraigat their founi ency to do down.

The feed belts are driven preferably at the same rate of speed, and with their alfalfa engaging laces in the same direction. .Ve have found in practice, however, that it is necessary to regular and even feeding that the speed be uniform and in order to maintain a uniform speed While the feeder is feeding, we employ a governor 38, whiclris attached to the driving mechanism. Any suitable speed regijdatiug governor may be used, and it may be either a mechanically or electric: lly or fluid operating governor. lVe have used both an electrically and mechanically operated governor, but We preferably illustrate a mechanically operating governor in connection with our feeder, and We preferably use and illustrate a friction clutch type of governor, which we construct as follows: Upon a counter shaft 39, which is journaled in boxes ll), which are secured to suit-- able .toundal'ion timber ell, we mount a friction cup shaped disk 42, loosely, the outside surface of which is adapted to receive a belt -l3, which com'iectcd to a source of power. To the inside of the cup portion of this disk :1 weighted crank arm ll, ispivoted intermediate of its ends. The weighted end is arranged to bear-against the peripheral wall 45 of the inside of the cup shaped disk, and this end of the crank arm is held normally away from the wall by a spring 47, which is secured at one end to the weighted end of the crank arm, and at its opposite end is secured to the disk. A. second cup shaped disk 48, is keyed to the shaft 39 at the side of the disk 42, and a split ring if) one end of which is free tits loosely within this disk and close to its inner peripheral wall, and is adapted to expand and fit tight against its inner pm-i 'iheral wall when rotated. The opposite end of this ring; is pivotally secured to the free end of the crank arm. lonsequenlly when the disk is driven bythe power (-on nectcd l'iLll at the speed required, the crank arm is thrown out and expands the ring un til it grips the disk 48, which being keyed to the shall 30 rotates it. A pinion is secured to this shaft. which meshes with a large gear 50 thatis mounted on a shaft 51, which I term the driving shaft, which is journaled in boxes mounted on the feeder, and the speed of this shaft is reduced by this gearing to the speed desired. The floor feed belt is preferably driven from this drive shaft: by a sprocket chain 52, which is mounted on a sprocket wheel 53, which is secured to the shaft of its discharge end roller, and on a sprocket wheel fi l, which is secured to, the drive shaft.

The combined guide and breaking roller is driven by a sprocket chain 55, which is mmmted on a sprocketwheel 56 that is cared to it shall", and on a. sprocket wheel 58, that is cured to the driving shaft. The inclined freed. belt is driven by a gear 59, which is mounted on the driving shaft, and

meshes with a gear 60, that is secured on a shaft 61, that extends across the feeder and is journaled in boxes 62. A sprocket wheel 63 is also secured to this shaft, and-a sprocket chain 64 ismounted on itand extends to a sprocket wheel 65, that is secured on the shaft23 of .the upper roller 29/ of the inclined belt. Thesurface of this inclined belt is provided with projecting feed pins 66, which are secured to it in any suitable manner. We preferably use short elevator bolts which are inserted through the belt and are bolted to it by a nut 67, which is screwed on a washer 68, which isclamped thereby.

against the belt, thus bolting the belt pin securely to the bolt and leaving its end portion projecting far enough from the belt to act as feed pins as they engage the alfalfa and draw it along. The chopper arms are ro-. tated by a power transmitting belt 69, that extends from-a source'of power to a pulley 70, that is mounted on the shaft l of the choppers.

The operation of our feeder relative to the cooperating chopper and pulverizer, is

. as follows: The chopper arms are rotated at about 600 revolutions per minute, andthe pulleys of the feed belts and the combined feed and breaking roller rotate at about 4.5

revolutions per ininute. 'Power is prefer.

ably transmitted from'one source directly to the governor ofthe feeder through the medium of the belt-43' which runs on and drives one part of the governor, and power is preferably transmitted from another and independentsource to the chopper through the medium of the belt 69. The speed that it is necessary to run the governor, is reduced by the gearing and 50 and sprocket wheels to cause the driven, belt pulleys and the guide roller to rotate at preferably about 150 revolutions per minute.

The alfalfa is fed into the trough of the feeder directly onto the canvas floor belt, and-is conveyed by it through the trough of the feeder to the inclined belt, which forms a tapering aperture with the floor belt, into which thealfalfa feeds, and the frictional surfaces of the belts, together with the de-' pending pins, ofthe incline belt, engage the alfalfa and draw it forward between them, pressing it into a thin matted layer by the timeit is fed to the discharge end pulleys of the belts, in which condition it'feeds onto the combined guide and breaking roller, and is fed horizontally into the rotative path of the chopper arms, which rotate downward opposite the guide roller and break and pulverize the alfalfa fine enough to pass through the screen and force it through the passage in the chopper back of thescreen and out through the discharge chute, from which it is either conveyed to'a storage bin or discharged into sacks for shipment. v

Our invention makes "a simple and per-- fectly operating feeder for feeding alfalfa and other hays or straw to chopper machines in such a way that the choppers will run continuously without cloggin and will make a fine product to their f est pulverizing capacity.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: I f

1. In a machine of the character'described, the combination with a chopper having a feed roll and an endless horizontal feed belt,

adapted to deliver material to said roll, of

an'endless inclined, cooperat1ng feed belt above the horizontal belt,'slideways on the forward end of the machine, a saddle mounted' on said slideways and supporting one end of the cotiperating belt, and a spring for holding the saddle under resilient tension.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a chopper having a feed roll, of'a feeding machine comprislng a suitable frame, having drums mounted at each end, the rear drum being adjustably drums; projecting pins in said belt, and

means for operating said belts andthe feed rollin unison.-

3. In a machine of the character described,

the combination with a frame and a main feed belt mounted therein, of a cooperating belt above the main feed belt inclined there-' to; guide rods on the frame disposedsubstantially at right angles to the inclination of the coiiperating belt; a saddle mounted on the slide rods, which supports the forward end of the cotiperating belt, and a spring for holding the saddle under resilient tension, the-forward end of the cooperating belt being in advance of the feed belt.

{ll In an alfalfa feeding'machine, the combination of the supporting frame provided with a pair of fiat sided slide rods. on one end of said frame, the endless conveyer belt in said frame, with an inclined endless beltsupported at its highest end in said frame and journaled at its lower end to a vertically movable saddle, provided withopen sided guide ways in its opposite sides and arranged to fit sli'dably on said flat sided guide rods.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a main feed belt and acooperating belt at an inclination to the main belt, of slide rods on said machine at right angles to the inclination of the cooperating belt, a saddle supporting the for ward end of the cooperating belt, lugs on said saddle having guideways through which the slide rods pass, and springs which hold the forward end of the cooperating belt under resilient tension relatively to the main feed belt. 1

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures 111 presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM T. WISE. JAMES 0. WISE.

Witnesses:

G. SARGENT ELLIOTT, ADELLA M. Fowm. 

